Possible Crashsite

Locating the possible crashsite

I was then contacted in November 2009 by Uwe Benkel, of Flugzeugabstuerze Saarland who had seen one of the postings I had made on one of the forums asking for information on the loss of ED702. He offered to assist in the research in locating the exact scene of the crash, Uwe contacted the Mayor of Offenbach, with an article then being placed in the local newspapers, from all this he was able to confirm where ED702 had come down was near to Insheim, also that there were some eye-witnesses who remembered the aircraft crashing.

We decided to make the trip to Germany to visit where Cyril had crashed and the Church where he and the crew were first buried. With the help of Toni Stritzinger and Christian Schwein, accommodation was found in Walshiem, Arriving late afternoon on Tuesday we were met by Christian at the railway station in Landau and taken to the accommodation where we were made most welcome by the Metzger family.

We met Toni Stritzinger who was 7 years old at the time he remembered the Lancaster crashing & watching it with his grandmother. The following day he went to look at what had crashed.

On Wednesday we went into Offenbach to meet with Mayor of Offenbach Axel Wassyl, with some more residents who remembered a Lancaster coming down. All recounting their memories of that evening

With one gentleman a little saddened by the fact he remembered taking the first aid kit from the aircraft, but was unable to locate it as he wished to give it back to us. He has told me he will find it and promised to post it to me, The Mayor Axel Wassyl presented mother and I with a book on Offenbach, mother asked if all present would be kind enough to sign one of the copy’s which they all kindly did for us.

We were all also presented with a special bottle of wine produced by a member of Uwe’s team, Peter Schreiber, a bottle of which was presented to the 49 Squadron Association at this years reunion

We all then went to the field where it was believed ED702 had come down. Uwe, Christian & Peter proceeded to see if they could locate any of remains of the aircraft. Unfortunately with the crop still growing not a great deal could be done without causing damage. It was decided that they will return in the autumn when the crop has been harvested, the land owner has said he will phone Uwe when this happens. They did manage to find a piece of horseshoe with nail present, a part off a tractor and a piece of unknown metal